Mail-bag-delivering apparatus.



O. J. M. WEBER.

MAIL BAG DELIVERING APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 21, 1913. 1 077,323. Patented Nov. 4, 1913.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH (10., WASHINGTON, 0. c4

G. J. M. WEBER.

MAIL BAG DELIVERING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 21, 1913.

Patented Nov. 4, 1913.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Wmwnsazs QMMW mm lNviznTo l/hgff' W i A1 1 omega COLUMBIA PLANOGRAFH co., WASHINGTON, n. c.

a of the stop washers upon the arms 4 and 6' of'the inner nan smar s PATENT CHRISTOPHER I.

M. WEBER, or s'r. PAUL. MiNNESQTA.

MAIL-BAG-DELIVERING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented N 0 V 4, 1913.,

Application filed July 21, 1913. Serial No. 780,204.

'CBI'iIEtlI'l new and useful Improvements in Mail-Bag-Delivering Apparatus, of which the following is a. specification.

The invention relates to improvements in mail bag delivering apparatus for'railway cars, its object being to provide improved means for delivering mail pouches -orsacks from a passing train to a track station.

To t is end the invention consistsrin the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter described andclaimed.

In the accompanying drawings showing a ure 1 is a top view of the improved apparatus in place upon a mail car, with the car wall and cage shaft in sectiongon line 2-2 of Fig. 2, and with the station bumper plate partly broken away; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same with some partsbroken away; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one on the cage shaft Fig. 4 is a bottom view of a fragment of the car with the apparatus carried thereby; is a cross section on line w-w of Fig. 1; and Fig. 6 is a cross section throughthe sup port for the rocking bumper plate on line y-y of Fig. 5.

In the drawings, A represents the side wall of a car having a door openingB' for receiving and delivering mail sacks. Journaled in bearing brackets 2 upon the car wall on each side of the opening 13' is a vertical rock shaft 3 upon which is mounted a sack delivering cage C. In the structureshown in the drawings each cage consists of' two wings having outwardly bowed upperower arms 6' and 7, rearms ofeach wing are connected by means of' vertical rods 8, upon which may be supported retaining screens,v as shown in the drawings. Thearms 4 and 6 of the inner wing, that is the wing. which stands next the door opening, are keyed, or otherwise fixedly mounted, upon the shaft 3, while the arms 5' and 7 of the outer wing are mounted rotatably upon the shaft. The

arms 4 and 5, and l spectively. The

secured or inner ends of the arms 4 and 6 rest upon the bearing brackets 2, while the pivotal or inner the outer or foldingwing are supported J. M. too far Fig. 5;

low the bottom vided with a crank .14 which is'connected ends oftlie. arms 5 and 7' of To hold the wings" from spreading away from each other, a stop washer 9, having upwardly and downwardly extending flanges or lips 10 arranged on the opposite sides of its periphery, is sleeved upon the shaft 3 between the upper arms 4 and 5 of the wings, and a similar washer is sleevedupon the shaft between the lower arms 6 and 7 of the wings, so that the upturned lips will lie alongsidethe outer sides wing.

of the arms 5 and 7 of the outer or foldingwlng near their pivoted ends, while the downwardly projectingdips will lie alongside the outer sides ofLthe arms'4 and 6 of the inner or fixed wing, near their secured ends. These lips-will thus form a stopor tie to hold the folding wing from swinging practical embodiment of the invention, Fig

further upon the shaft after its arms have been intercepted by the lips on their outer sides.

The wings are preferably left open, that jis'free from rods or screens, near the shafts in order to afford clearance spaces for the i car hand grips 11 when the fever out of the wayagainst the outside of cages arefold'ed the car, as shown in dotted lines inFigIl.

iEach of the inner wingsis also provided with a door 12 hinged ,8 and openinginwardly toward the interiorof the car, 'be loadedinto the cage. The gate is held in closed position by means ofa latch 13 upon one of the rods to allow the mail sacks to upon. the upper arm "4. a 7' Each of the vertical shafts 3' extends beof the car where it is pro by means of pivoted links 15 and 16 with the crank pin 1710f a crank 18. The crank 18 is fast upon a horizontal shaft 19 journaled' in bearings 20 upon the underside of the car. alinement, and at their adjacent ends are provided with parallel cranks 21 which are connected by means of a crank pin 22, whereby the alining shafts 19 are operated in unison, thereby causing the cages upon the vertical shafts 3 to be swung in unison.

The actuating element for the shafts. 19

and 3 is a bumper 23slidably supported in a guide 24 upon the underside of the car and having a rearwardly extending tail bargu de 26 upon the un-- 25 whicl slides in, a derside of the car and passes between the rank-connected endsoft he shafts i otally sup-ported at .27 up n the lower art of the bumper head below the shaft 25 is a The two shafts 19 stand in axial rearwardly extending trigger 28 which, when the bumper is thrust in, will engage the crank pin 22 of the shafts 19 and thereby turn the cranks 21, until the pivot 27 clears the inner end of the guide 2%, when the trigger will drop from the pin and leave the cage operating mechanism free from the control of the bumper, so that the cages can be handled by the mail clerks without affecting or being affected by the bumper. To insure the striking of the crank pin by the trigger, if the crank 21 should happen to be turned a little out of vertical position, the trigger is provided on its upper side with a metal strip 29 which is bent over the end of the trigger and held normally raised up therefrom by means of a spring 30, so that when the bumper is restored to its out-thrust position, as shown in Figs. a and 5 of the drawings, the strip 29 Wlll yield elastically to the pin 22 as it passes the same, and the trigger will not become cramped against the pin. A stop block 4A is provided upon the underside of the car in position to interceptthe end of the bumper arm 25 and prevent it from being thrust in too far.

The bumper head has a terminal nose 31 which is cut away on both sides so that the bumper plate hereinafter to be described will strike it a glancing blow. The bumper is also formed at the top with an inverted V-shaped double cam 32 whereby to operate the stops 33 for the cages. These stops consist of arms having vertically sliding support in guides 34 upon the slde of the car, and extending normally up into the paths of the lower arms 6 of'the inner wings of the cages. Each arm is pivotally connected at its lower end with a lever 35 fulcrumed upon the sides of the car at 3 6 and extending into the path of the bumper. The free ends of these levers are held by stops 37 at such a height that they will be engaged and lifted by the double cam 32 of the bumper when the bumper is moved in or out. When they are thus lifted the stop arms 33 will be drawn down out of the path of the lower arms of the cage. After the in by the action of the bumper plate, here: inafter described, it can be restored to position by turning a vertical shaft 38, which extends up through the floor of the car and has an operating handle 39. This shaft carries on the underside of the car a crank 40 pivotally connected by means of a link 11 with a lever 42 which is pivotally supported at as upon the underside of the car, and eX- tends between two pins t5 upon the side of the bumper arm upon which it will act to move the bumper in or out. To cause the wings of the cage to separate if they should be swung toward the car opening in folded relation, a pair of stops 46 are secured upon the door jambs on each side of the door opening in position to intercept and stop the bumper has been thrust arms 5 and 7 of the folding wings of the cages, whereby the folding wing will be arrested while the fixed wing continues its swing.

At the station platform a rounded bumper plate 17, in position to strike the nose of the bumper 23 as the car passes the station. The bumper plate is preferably supported so that it will automaticallv drop out of the way when the train has passed. In the drawings it is shown supported upon a collapsible standard 18 which has at the top a forwardly projecting horizontal arm at), and at the bottom a rearwardly projecting parallel arm 50. The bumper plate is sleeved upon the upper arm at 51, while the lower arm has rotatable and endwise sliding support in bearings 52. The bumper plate is held pressed resiliently into the path of the bumper by means of a spring 53 interposed between a terminal flange 54 upon the upper arm and the sleeve bearings 51 upon the underside of the plate, while the lower arm is held thrust rearwardly by means of a spring interposed between the bearings 52 and a terminal flange 56 upon the arm. To hold the standard locked in upright position, it is provided near the bottom with a rearwardly extending nose 57 in position to enter a V-shaped notch 58 in the bearing, while at its upper end it is provided with a nose 59 in position to enter a similar notch in the underside of the bumper plate.

In use, when it is desired to load the cages with mail sacks for delivery at the next station, the cages are first swung inwardly so that they will stand above the sill of the door opening with their wings spread apart to receive the mail sacks, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The mail. sacks are then loaded into the cage through the doors 12 and will stand upon the floor or sill of the car between the wings of the cages. The bumper is then thrust out by means of the hand operated shaft 38 so that its nose will project out from the side of the car in position to be struck by the bumper plate at the dethere is provided livery station. When the bumper is in this.

position the inner ends of the levers 35 will rest upon the supports 37 and keep the stop arms 33 in up-thrust position in the path of the inner wing of the cages, thereby locking the cages from outward movement. hen the nose of the bumper is struck by the bumper plate the bumper will be thrust in, causing the double cam 32 to lift the levers 35 and withdraw the stops 33 from the cages, and at thesame time causing the trigger 28 to engage the crank pin 22, and. thereby turn the horizontal shafts 19. These shafts, in turn, acting through the medium of the connected cranks 1S and 1 1, will turn the vertical shafts 3 and thereby cause the now released cages to swing out in unison over the station platform. The

I thenose 59 from its locking notch, while sacks,

the thrust of the plate againstits spring will also force the standard 48 out far enough to release the nose 57 from its notch 58, thereby leaving the standard free to fall over in its bearing 52 and carry the bumper plate down with it, so that the plate will drop down out of the way.

The cages, which are now free from the control of the bumper, as above explained, can be restored by hand to mail receiving position, as shown in Fig; 1:, or they can be swung and folded: over against the outside of the car, so as to be out of the way. Asa means of thus fol-ding them over I have provided cables 60 which pass loosely through the car wall and are secured to arms 61 having fixed support upon the shafts 3 above the cages. The cables are preferably provided with weights 62, whereby to: exert a constant pull upon the arms 61: and give'the cages a normal tendency to swing out and fold over upon the outside of the car. 7

It will be understood that the cages are and made to swingin unison so that they will cooperate in holding and form in effect a single carrier. The embodiment of the invention here shown and described can be modified in various ways without departing from the principleof the invention the scope of which i is defined in the claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with a railway car having a mail delivery opening, of a sack carrier having swinging support adjacent said opening, a bumper having sliding support upon the car frame, and means actuated by the bumper, when inwardly thrust, for swinging out the carrier. a r

2. The combination with a railway car having a mail delivery opening, of a bottom less sack carrier comprising folding wings having swinging wardly from the side of the car frame, and mechanism actuated by the bumper for swinging out the carrier.

' 3. The combination with a railway car having a mail delivery opening, of a sack and means actuated by the bumper, when the same isthrust in, for simultaneously rev port at opposite sides of the car support adjacent said opening, a sliding bumper proyccti'ngvoutbumper projecting carrier having swinging support adjacent said opening, a bumper having sliding support upon the car frame and extending outwardly from the side thereof, mechanism extending into the path of the bumper for swinging said carrier, and a trigger pivotall'y connected with the inner end of the bumper and adapted, when thrust in, first to actuate said carrier operating mechanism and then to drop out of the way of said mechanism, whereby to freesaid' mechanism from the controlof the bumper.

5-. The combination with a railway car having a mail, delivery opening, of a pair of coiiperating cages having swinging support at opposite sides of the car opening, a bumper having sliding support upon the car frame, and means actuated by the bumper for swinging the cages out in unison.

6. The combination wit-ha railway car having a mail delivery opening, of a pair of cotlperating cages having swinging supopening and of two folding wings, a

consisting, each,

. sliding; bumper projecting outwardly from the side of the car, and mechanism actuated arranged in close proximity to one another 1n unison. and delivering the I by the bumper for swinging said cages out 7. The combination with a railway car having a mai-l'del-ivery opening, of a. pair of vertical shafts rotatably mounted at opposite sides of the car opening, a sack carrying cage mounted upon each shaft, a pair of horizontal shafts operatively connected with vertical shafts and rotatably supported jupon the underside of the car, a crank pin connecting said horizontal shafts, abumper ;havingsliding support upon the underside lof the car in position, when the same is {thrust in, lt-hereby lunison.

l 8. The combination with a railway car {having a mail deli-very opening, of a verjtical shaft rotatably mounted at the side of fthe car opening, a sack carrying cage comgprisi'ng-two folding'wings, one having fixed jand the other rotatable support upon the zshaft, means for preventingthe wings from ;spreadingbeyond apredetermined point, means for rotating said vertical shaft, and $21 bumper having sliding support upon the underside of the car and adapted, when ilthrust in, to actuate said shaft operating jmeans, whereby to swing out the cage.

9. The combination with a railway car having a mail delivery opening, of a pair :ofcooperating cages having swinging sup port at opposite sides of the car opening,

operate said shafts and cages in and consisting, each, of two folding" wings,

to engage said crank pin and means for preventing said wings from spreading apart beyond a predetermined point, locking means for holding said cages swung inwardly in mail receiving position, a bumper having sliding support on the underside of the car, and means actuated by said bumper, when the same is thrust in, for releasing said locking means and swinging the cages out in unison for the discharge of mail sacks.

10. The combination with a railway car having a mail delivery opening, of a pair of vertical shafts rotatably mounted at opposite sides of the car opening, a sack carrying cage supported upon each shaft, each cage comprising two folding wings, one having fixed and the other rotatable support upon the shaft, means for preventing the wings from spreading beyond a predetermined point, a bumper slidably supported upon the underside of the car and means operatively connected with said vertical shafts and actuated by the bumper, when the same is thrust in, for turning said shafts, whereby to swing the cages out in unison for the discharge of mail sacks.

11. The combination with a railway car having a delivery opening, of a vertical shaft rotatably supported at the side of the car opening, a mail delivery cage carried by said shaft, a horizontal shaft rotatably supported on the underside of the car and operatively connected with said vertical shaft, a crank upon said horizontal shaft, and a bumper having sliding support upon the underside of the car in position to engage said crank, whereby to turn said horizontal shaft and its connected vertical shaft when the bumper is thrust in.

12. The combination with a mail car having a delivery opening, of a mail delivering cage having swinging support at the side of the car opening, a horizontal shaft rotatably supported upon the underside of the car and o-poratively connected with said cage, a crank carried by said horizontal shaft and provided with a crank pin, a bumper having sliding support upon the underside of the car, a trigger pivotally connected with said bumper and adapted to engage said crank pin and turn said horizontal shaft, whereby to swing said cage.

13. The combination with a mail car having a delivery opening, of a vertical shaft rotatably mounted at the side of the car opening, a mail delivering cage comprising two folding wings, one having fixed and the other rotatable support on said shaft, a stop upon the side of the car opening in position to engage the rotatably supported wing, a stop washer upon said shaft having oppositely turned flanges whereby to confine the outer sides of said wings to prevent them from spreading beyond a predetermined point, a bumper slidably supported upon the car frame, and means operatively connected with said vertical shaft and actuated by the bumper, when the same is thrust in, for turning said shaft, whereby to swing the cage out from the car for the discharge of mail sacks.

14. The combination with a mail car having a delivery opening, of a mail delivering carrier having swinging support at the side of the car opening, a stop arm having sliding support upon the outside of the car and standing normally in the path of said car rier whereby to hold the same in mail receiving position, an operating lever for said stop, a bumper having sliding support upon the frame, and means actuated by the bumper, when inwardly thrust, for swinging out the carrier, said bumper being provided with a cam adapted to engage the stop operating lever to withdraw said stop when the bumper is thrust inwardly.

15. The combination with a railway car having a mail delivery opening, of a pair of cooperating cages having swinging support at opposite sides of the car opening and consisting, each, of two folding wings, mechanism carried by the car for swinging said cages out in unison, and means arranged at a track station for actuating said cage swinging mechanism.

16. The combination with a railway car having a mail delivery opening, of a pair of cooperating cages having swinging support at oppositesides of the car opening and consisting, each, of two folding wings, means for preventing said wings from spreading apart beyond a predetermined point, mechanism carried by the car for swinging said cages, and means arranged at a track sta tion for actuating said cage swinging mechanism.

17. The combination with a railway car having a mail delivery opening, of a verti cal shaft rotatably mounted at the side of the car opening, a sack carrying cage comprising two folding wings, one having fixed and the other rotatable support upon the shaft, means for preventing the wings from spreading beyond a predetermined point, means carried by the car for rotating said vertical shaft, and means arranged at a track station for actuating said shaft rotating means.

18. The combination with a railway car having a mail delivery opening, of a pair of cages having swinging support at opposite sides of the car opening and-adapted to co operate in holding sacks, mechanism for swinging said cages out in unison, and cooperating means arranged at a track station for actuating said cage swinging mechanism.

19. The combination with a railway car having a mail delivery opening, of a bottomless sack carrier comprising folding wings having swinging support adjacent said opening, means for preventing said wings from spreading beyond a predetermined point, mechanism carried by the car for swinging out said sack carrier, and cooperating means at a track station for actuating said carrier swinging mechanism.

20. The combination with a mail car having a mail delivery opening, of a vertical shaft rotatably mounted at the side of the car opening, a mail delivering cage comprising two folding wings, one having fixed and the other rotatable support on said shaft, a stop upon the side of the car opening in position to engage the rotatably supported wing, a stop washer upon said shaft having oppositely turned flanges adapted to confine the outer sides of said wings to prevent them from spreading beyond a predetermined point, mechanism carried by the car for turning said shaft whereby to swing the cage out from the car for the discharge of mail sacks, and means arranged at a track station for actuating said shaft-turn- .ing mechanism.

21. Thecombination with a mail car having a mail delivery opening, of a mail delivering carrier having swinging support at the side of the car opening, a movable stop arm standing normally in the path of said carrier whereby to hold the same in inswung position, mechanism carried by thecar for withdrawing said stop and swinging out said carrier, and means arranged at a track station in position to actuate said carrier swinging mechanism.

22. The combination with a railway car having a mail delivery opening, of a sack carrier having swinging support adjacent to said opening, mechanism for swinging said carrier, and operating mechanism movably supported upon the car body and adapted, when actuated, first to engage and operate the carrier swinging mechanism and then to move out of the way of the same,

mechanism from the control of said operating mechanism.

23. The combination with a railway car having a mail delivery opening, of a sack carrier having swinging support adjacent said opening, mechanism for swinging out said carrier and operating mechanism movably supported upon the car body and including a pivoted trigger adapted to first engage and operate the carrier swinging mechanism and then to drop out of the way of the same, whereby to free said carrier swinging mechanism from the control of the operating mechanism.

In testimony whereof I afiix in presence of two witnesses.

CHRISTOPHER J. M. WEBER.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR P. LoTHRoP, H. SWANSON.

my signature Copies of this patent maybe obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of latents,

Washington, D. 0."

whereby to free said carrier swinging 

